Introduction to the nature, task and history of Roman Catholic Theology by a study of its sources: Revelation, Faith, Scripture (Canonicity, Inspiration, Inerrancy), Tradition, Magisterium, Development of Doctrine and Papal Infallibility. Also examined is the expression: "Outside the church there is no salvation". Lectures, mid-term test, end of term test. Preference given to St. Augustine’s Seminary Diaconate Formation Diploma students.

This course provides an in-depth exploration of two central Christian doctrines - the Trinity and the person of Christ - as well as reflection on the role of Holy Scripture and the nature of theology. This is the first part of a two-part sequence in basic Christian doctrine. Lectures, tutorial discussions generated by students’ questions, question-and-answer period. Short papers, final take-home exam. Tutorial 10-11 a.m.

Introduction to the nature, task and history of Roman Catholic Theology by a study of its sources: Revelation, Faith, Scripture (Canonicity, Inspiration, Inerrancy), Tradition, Magisterium, Development of Doctrine and Papal Infallibility. Also examined is the expression: "Outside the church there is no salvation". Lectures, mid-term test, end of term test. Preference given to St. Augustine’s Seminary Diaconate Formation Diploma students

This course will search the foundations of modern culture philosophically, sociologically, and theologically. What are the challenges and opportunities for faith in our world? It involves discussing several classic texts in colloquium. Method of evaluation: participation in class discussion, a paper, participation in a debate, a précis of a reading, and a take-home exam.

This course is designed for new students, and acts as an introduction to a number of central pastoral responsibilities: teaching the faith to new Christians, grasping the overall shape and purpose of Christian theology, assessing and meeting the demands of local culture and context, engaging the character of conversion and formation, and finally, grasping an overall shape to the history of Christian witness. The course pursues the historical examination of key catechetical texts from the New Testament to the contemporary period, analyzes their content and purpose, locates them historically, and seeks to engage students’ own comprehensive vision of the Gospel, its communication, and pastoral practice. Lectures and weekly tutorials on the primary-source reading. Extensive reading, discussion, and mastering of content. Weekly content quizzes; 3 papers (6-10 pages each); final exam.

Training and sensitising students' eyes and minds to the Orthodox Way of understanding iconography. Iconology is a visual-liturgical theology, which teaches doctrine and promotes worship by ordering space and worship-function. Iconography is a rhetoric, not a "mystical spirituality." Attention to the development of critical skills for seeing/understanding, especially text-image relationships, and to iconological programming.

This course examines selective themes and fundamental questions in Trinitarian Theology from a Catholic perspective as found in the New Testament, Ecumenical Councils, the Fathers and Scholastics, and to some extent, in modern times. This prepares the ground for making a few important inquiries in light of contemporary concerns from a systematic perspective.

Theology of creation. The human person in its created existence in the image of Christ; origin of humankind. Doctrine of original sin. One midterm test, one mini-synthesis and a final oral examination.

Introduction to the teachings of the Christian Church and theological understanding concerning eschatology both as it has developed in the tradition and in the renewed interest it has gained from some of the significant theologians of the 20th C. Topics include: philosophical foundations, eschatology in the OT and NT, immortality and resurrection, theology of death and afterlife, individual and communal judgement, parousia, apocalyptic, political eschatology. Short paper, book review, final exam, class participation.

The mystery of the Church as seen in the light of Vatican II. Her foundation in Christ in Scripture and history that gives rise to her structure, mission, and four Marks. Mary as the Mother of the Church and eschatological icon. One midterm test, one mini-synthesis and a final oral examination. Preference given to St. Augustine

A theological exploration of Church, Ministry and Sacraments from a Presbyterian perspective in dialogue with other traditions and contemporary expressions of the Christian movement. Assignment and Paper. Prerequisites: A basic introductory theology course. Knox M.Div. students need to have Ref. Theology in Dialogue.

Introduction to sacraments in general, historical and systematic study of sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation, Eucharist) with special consideration of the pastoral viewpoint. Three short papers, seminars, final exam.

Theological reflection on the sacramental life of the Church in the context or worship and education in sacramentality. Preference given to St. Augustine’s Seminary Diaconate Formation Diploma students.

A study of Anglican Theology, principally through the reading of texts from Anglican thinkers of the 16th and 17th centuries. Study and discussion of the foundational themes of the English Reformation, as well as the 17th century development. The two great renewal movements of the 18th and 19th centuries: the evangelical movement and the Anglo-Catholic movement. The modern criticisms of the Anglican tradition. The question of Anglican identity and authority.

A study of the primary texts of the Church's first five centuries from the perspective of Eastern Christians, to identify and apply the vision of God and persons forged by the early doctors of the Church. Close readings of primary texts. Research paper.

Explores historical sources of division among Christian churches, origins of the modern ecumenical movement, the commitment of the Roman Catholic Church to Christian unity, growing agreement in sacramental life. Special attention to implications for catechesis and pastoral care of inter-church families.

This course is designed to introduce and guide reflection on morality and ethics from the perspective of African religion. An in-depth study of the rich heritage of African Religion with emphasis on how they continue to influence and mediate the experiences of contemporary Africans. The course centers on aspects of African Religion including afro-theism (God), ontology (human) and cosmology (nature). One 5-7 page reflection paper (30%); one 15-20 page research paper (50%); class participation (10%); class atttendance (10%).

The purpose of this course is to recognize themes and insights that are developed uniquely by Asian theologians, mainly from China, Japan, and Korea, such as C.S. Song, Kosuke Koyama, and Korean Minjung Theologians. This course will help non-Asian students to get some knowledge of Asian cultures and Asian indigenous religions, and Asian students to develop a theology based on their Asian heritages and experiences. Consequently, "Asian Theology" will help theological students to transcend Western parochialism and contribute to a development of Christian theology for the coming multicultural and pluralistic century we have been already embarked. The course will be in seminar format with lecture input, analysis of readings, student presentation and class discussion. Prerequisite: A basic introductory theology course.

An introduction for theology students to basic questions of nature, scope, and limits of knowledge. Central questions of belief, certainty and truth will also be investigated. Teaching Method: Lectures & Discussions. Means of Evaluation: 2 essays: each essay a 6 to 8 page critical evaluation of Philosophical problem. 1 two hour cumulative in class test (last class)N.B. Each is worth 33 1/3%

Investigation of the relationship between biography and theological reflection. Summary of foundations for such presuppositions rooted in Lonergan's claim that "objectivity is the fruit of authentic subjectivity." Also looks at paradigmatic examples from Christian history, e.g. St. Augustine. The life and thought of Thomas Merton will be emphasized and such personalities as Simone Weil, Catherine de Heuck-Doherty and Dorothy Day. Short paper, book review, biography project, class participation.

A focused study of philosophers and representative texts in the western philosophical tradition. Part I: historical development from pre-Socratics to Aquinas: metaphysics, theory of knowledge, human nature and ethics. Lectures, discussion, short expository papers, final exam.

Introduction to existentialism through the works of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Sartre and Marcel. Topics include: the existence or non-existence of God and its implications for morality; subjectivity; individuality; and choice. Lectures, discussions, short papers, and final exam.

This course assists students in acquiring greater skill and confidence in doing theo-ethical reflection, especially within the context of Christian life and ministry in an ever complex world. As a practical and integrative discipline of the church living in particular contexts, this course attends to identifications (who am I/are we?) and method (what am I/are we to do?) for seeking right relations and naming sources of hope. Lectures, short essays, final issue or integration paper. Prerequisites: basic courses in Bible, and history of Christianity or theology.

This course is an introduction to the content, methods, and practices of Christian ethics. We (the Teaching Team) intend to provide students with an introduction to select key voices, in the recent past and present, in Christian ethics and to some tools for doing moral reflection/action with some attention to poverty and ecological destruction as moral issues. We hope to encourage students to refine the ethical awareness that they bring to a variety of moral challenges, within their lives, within the churches, and within society. Lectures, small group discussions; analysis of a moral argument; figure paper; final integrative project on wealth and poverty. Prerequisites: Introductory Bible and Theology.

The primary goal of this course is to help us think critically and sensitively about Christian values, norms, and commitments in ways that preserve a Christian orientation while taking into account the non-Christian and pluralistic context of modern society. Such thinking will involve a dialectical process where universal principles, values, and norms will be examined with reference to the particular experiences and realities that constrain human action and interaction. The aim is not to structure a strict formalistic ethical framework but rather to canvall various ethical methodologies, religious and secular, as resources for ethical thinking and praxis. Method of Evaluation: Critical book response(s), one term paper; class participation.

For final year students, a comprehensive and synthetic review of Roman Catholic doctrine in Systematic Theology. Personal appropriation of the mysteries of faith as well as effective pastoral explanation and communication of these mysteries is also stressed. Seminar presentations and final oral exam. Contact professor for summer reading material.

Study of the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, as presented from a variety of perspectives: patristic, modern and feminist, with special consideration of implications for the concept of "person". Students will be asked to engage assigned readings in classroom discussions. Discussion paper, extended essay.

This course examines the recovery and renewal of Trinitarian doctrine and theology since the turn of the twentieth century with a broad focus upon Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox theologians; the reexamination of the doctrine’s sources in Scripture through theological exegesis and current trends in its formulations. The course will proceed along a lecture / discussion format, with readings from relevant literature. Assignments will include short reflection papers and a research paper.

Explores the status of traditional doctrines of Christ in light of the scholarly movements to define Jesus "as he really was," and thus to develop a Christology without a theological agenda. Lectures, assigned readings, classroom discussion. Reflection papers, extended essay or book report.

Study of the doctrine section of the United Church of Canada Basis of Union and other statements of faith; appreciative and critical discussion with the goal of contemporary/contextual theological expression. Recommended for students in their final (post-internship) year of studies. Small and large group discussion, required and recommended reading, five short papers and one final paper. Prerequisites: Old Testament I, New Testament I, Theology I or their equivalents, or permission of the instructor.

Sacraments of baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, reconciliation, anointing of the sick, orders, and marriage as symbols of the world, challenge to human existence, life functions of the Church and features of Christology and revelation. Lectures, seminars, mid-term papers and final paper.

Taking into account recent paradigm shifts in the theology of mission, this course invites participants to consider the relationship of mission to biblical sources, culture and context, unity and diversity in the church, post-colonism and intercultural engagement, and especially religious pluralism. The goal is to foster critical theological reflection on how the church might best understand and embody its mission in a multifaceted and globalizing world situation today. Methodology: lecutres/discussions. Evaluations are based upon a mid-term paper, final research paper, and class participation. Prerequisite: Completion of first credit group or Level II.

The Christological-Trinitarian foundation of Mary's role in salvation history and in the Church is developed in two areas: 1) the foundations from Vatican II, Scripture, Church Fathers, and the four Marian Dogmas; 2) the celebration of Mary in liturgy, popular piety, and spirituality. Finally, Mary is studied in light of ecumenism, and in one contemporary theologian and twentieth-century developments for her profound significance for today. One midterm test, one mini-synthesis and a final oral examination. The course is held at 2661 Kingston Road location.

This course surveys aspects of Christian thinking (not necessarily strictly theology) of the early modern period, concentrating on France, England, and representatives from other Western European countries. Lectures and readings focus on the question of (re)defining Christian identity, within several areas of religious concern: devotional life, epistemology, human history, and social relations. The course aims to provide students with first-hand knowledge of primary material that was either influential upon or typical of fundamental (though often conflictual) ways of construing Christian identity during this period and that have remained, in various guises, still a part of contemporary Christian outlooks. Course requirements include attendance at lectures and tutorials, the extensive assigned reading; 1-page weekly critical overviews, and the choice of a final exam or final paper.

This course focuses on Aquinas' Summa Theologiae and its systematic theology of the Christian life: faith, hope and love are the foundational principles that ground the concrete living out of the imitatio Christi in a life of prayer, service, preaching and leadership in the Church. Importance of philosophical, rhetorical and historical tools for reading the text. Weekly reading, weekly papers, term paper, participation in class discussion.

Inspiring and profound are terms often attributed to the theology of von Balthasar. Benedict XVI said of his work, "His theological reflection maintains intact, to this day, a profound timeliness and leads many to penetrate ever more into the profoundity of the mystery of faith". This course begins an exploration of his work. There is consideration of the Trilogy: Herrlichkeit, Theo-Drama and Theo-Logic; the influence of Ignatius Loyola and Adrienne von Speyr; and the place of Mary. Not a course for the faint-hearted, von Balthasar's work is at times dense and complex but the rewards are beyond price. Prerequisite: one year of theology, at least three theology courses.

In recent decades hosts of “new” voices have joined and vastly expanded theological dialogue: African Americans, women, and “Third World”–Latin American, South African, Filipino, Indian, Sri Lankan, Korean, etc. More recently indigenous, Hispanic American, womanist, gay and lesbian, mujerista/Latina, Asian-American and Asian-Canadian, and ecological voices are expanding the dialogues. And the number of new and newer voices continues to grow. We will: trace the early history of dialogues among these new voices and sample more recent voices; identify points of convergence and divergence; examine hermeneutical and methodological issues concerning experience, standpoints, perspectives; probe the riches of diversity, the dangers of relativism and new grounds for authenticity and authority; explore new theological frontiers in (re)discovering/recentering theology in the Spirit and reconceiving history; survey the challenges and opportunities confronting theology and the church accompanying the eruptions of new voices in a rapidly changing world, and the struggles over the future. Readings, class participation, short papers, and (for AD students) research paper - adult learning process.

Recent teaching of the Roman Catholic magisterium on war and peace, social teaching about justice, ecumenical dialogue, nonchristian religions, and women. This course provides an update on important new directions in Catholic magisterial teaching on these five topics. The course examines the varying authority of different magisterial documents and focuses on methods of interpretation. Auditors welcome. Lectures, discussions, paper, take-home exam.

This course of lectures will examine Luther's writings on the theology of the cross and on human freedom; and Calvin's writings on Scripture and the Christian life. Weekly readings; a final examination (oral or written).

Studies the documents and teachings of Vatican II. Brief overview of the historical background to the Council and to Councils in the life of the church. Seminars guide discussions based on close readings of the 16 documents with emphasis on the historical context and ecclesiological significance of each document. Seminar presentations; participation in analysis of the documents; integration paper.

An exploration of central issues in philosophy, as addressed by Herman Dooyeweerd, Dirk Vollenhoven, and the "Amsterdam School" of neo-Calvinian thought. The course tests the relevance of this tradition for recent developments in Western philosophy. Special attention is given to critiques of foundationalism, metaphysics, and modernity within reformational philosophy and other schools of thought.

Wittgenstein’s philosophy continues to generate enormous interest, and his name is frequently cited in connection with radical developments in theology and the philosophy of religion. Via an exploration of the different accounts of language and meaning he presents in both his early and later work, this course will focus on his thought as it relates to religious belief and commitment in particular.

This course explores the notion that subjectivity is not merely given but produced through an encounter with society, language and other selves. It explores the ethical and political consequences of this possibility. It examines the construction of ethnic, religious, racial, and gendered difference, the forces that have constituted them as ""other"" instead of the "same," and the consequences this has for the construction of the self and its obligations and responsibilities.

This course will explore the uneasy relationship between deconstruction and politics. We will begin the course by familiarizing ourselves with Jacques Derrida's deconstuctive method, and continue by reading his work on issues of justice, law, cosmopolitanism, ethics, and the right to philosophy. The rest of the course will be spent engaging with various contemporaries of Derrida for whom his work in deconstruction and political philosophy has been important: Drucilla Cornell, Giorgio Agamben, Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe, Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari.

Investigating the faith/culture relationship from the perspective of worldview analysis, this course seeks to engender a cultural discernment rooted in a radical biblical faith. Lectures and seminars, reflection papers.

In the contemporary world, ecumenism must include dialogue between Christianity and world religions. This course will examine not only Christian attitudes to world religions, but also attitudes of world religions to other belief systems. Lectures, discussion, paper.

The course will survey ethical issues encountered by both Christian leaders and leaders in Christian institutions as well as the styles and theories of leadership and models for effective decision-making that might be employed. The course will use a combination of lectures, discussions and student led seminars. Evaluation: participation, seminar presentation, case analysis, integration paper.

This course will begin with a summation of Biblical teaching about wealth and poverty, and the succeeding sessions will study diverse interpretations of that teaching in the history of Christian thought. Attention will be paid to the historical context of the theology under study, including contemporary ethical teaching and economic practice. The goals of the course will be to appreciate the paradoxical character of Biblical teaching on wealth and poverty, as well as the diverse ways in which theologies on wealth and poverty have reflected the impact of socio-economic change. The value of the study will be its assisting students to cope with 21st century challenges in its uneven regional and social distribution of wealth and poverty.

A critical survey of papal thought from Leo XIII's emphasis on workers' rights to John Paul II's focus on the broader theme of human rights. Reflection papers and book report, or major paper, exam. Prerequisite: Introductory course in moral theology.

The environmental crisis is a spiritual crisis. The social dialectic, that is, practicality/instrumentality in tension with the intersubjective component of community, has become a skewed global phenomenon primarily because of technological/communications, economic, and political realities, along with the consequences of massive human migration and environmental destruction. What are cultural values and ultimately, religious values, that can redirect the social order toward a renewed human community living harmoniously/authentically with earth and cosmos? The structure of converted ecological consciousness, incarnating cultural values informed by Transcendent value, can evoke a humble, blessed way of "walking on the earth." Teaching method: Lecture. Evaluation: Class participation, special topic presentation, final paper.

This course investigates certain key developments regarding God in the theological tradition of Augustine of Hippo, Thomas Aquinas, and Bernard Lonergan. The focus is three topics: God as knowable by natural reason, God as manifested by supernatural revelation, and the psychological analogy for the Trinity. Readings include appropriate sections of Augustine's Confessions and On the Trinity, Aquinas' Summa theologiae, and Lonergan's Method in Theology and Third Collection. Lecture plus seminar. Requirements: weekly seminar preparation and participation, four one-page reflections, final paper, and take-home exam.

Explores Christian Kenosis as an expression of the unconditional love of God made known in Christ. Here, the mutual relations of self-giving in the Trinity may be mirrored in the lives of human beings. Divine humility, vulnerability and compassion are seen as the source of life-giving grace and dynamic relationships of trust and fidelity. In dialogue: Hans urs von Balthasar, Sarah Coakley, James Alison, Bernard Haring, Pope John Paul II, and Thomas Merton. Lectures, discussion, class presentations, research paper.

Introduction to the theology of Karl Rahner. Attention to his place within Roman Catholic thought of his time. Special emphasis on his philosophical presuppositions and his understanding of revelation, human nature, grace, Christ, the Church, dogma, and ecumenical dialogue. Lectures, discussions, class presentations, short paper, final exam.

Examination of resources and methods in theological work, focusing on hermeneutics as a strategic way of thinking about the role of texts and traditions in theological reflection. Emphasis on interpretation theories in conjunction with liberal, postliberal, and postmodern theological methodologies, particularly regarding issues of faith, authority, revelation, and religious pluralism. Lectures, discussions, student presentations, research paper.

An examination of concepts of faith in both religious and non-religious contexts. Critical attention will be focused on Kierkegaard, Wilfrid Cantwell Smith, and Sartre and Camus. Seminar preparation and a major paper.

This course explores philosophical method for a theology of beauty. It takes Balthasar's assessment of the loss of beauty as a philosophical and theological reality as a context to survey the implications and the conditions for its recovery. Issues such as the nature of beauty, aesthetic experience/perception, judgments, the beauty of God/Christ, and other cultural notions of beauty will be considered. It will also investigate Lonergan's philosophy as a basis for theological aesthetics.

No serious philosopher after Kant has been able to avoid his critique of metaphysical speculations about God, the soul, and the meaning of existence. The horrors of recent history give added urgency to such questions. Theodor W. Adorno has posed these issues in dramatic and decisive ways. This seminar studies his reflections in Negative Dialectics on the status of metaphysics "after Auschwitz."

Schedule: Monday, 12:00 to 15:00Instructors:Lambert ZuidervaartTeaching Methods: Seminars Other Information: First Semester · One CreditEnrollment Notes: Permission of the instructor

The course will explore the nature of religious experience from the perspectives of psychology, recent evolutionary theory and theories of the emergence of the modern mind. We will explore the ways in which ancient peoples forged a 'consciousness contract' that allowed those individuals and groups whose facility for entering altered states of consciousness that gave them access to the world of spirits and god(s) also gave them enormous political and social power and authority. Drawing on research in neuropsychology and contemporary evolutionary psychology, the course will consider that religious experience is not a mere result of the pressures of the material environment but rather an interaction between neurobiological capacities and their interaction with culture. Moreover, it will be considered that the human capacity for religious experience, symbol formation, the manipulation of images and altered states of consciousness that shape religious beliefs and rituals have significant impact on human action in shaping the environment and forming culture. Writers studied will include, but not be limited to, the theories of religion and the mind as elaborated by Ludwig Feuerbach, Sigmund Freud, William James, David Lewis-Williams, Brian Hayden and Walter Burkert. We will also examine specific cases of the religious experiences of medieval Christian mystics.

Focusing on recent interpretations of the moral theology of St. Thomas, the course will examine competing understandings of Aquinas’ ethics, both for understanding Aquinas’ account of morality in its historical context, and for drawing resources in order to address key issues in contemporary moral theology. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

This course examines the recovery and renewal of Trinitarian doctrine and theology since the turn of the twentieth century with a broad focus upon Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox theologians; the reexamination of the doctrine’s sources in Scripture through theological exegesis and current trends in its formulations. The course will proceed along a lecture / discussion format, with readings from relevant literature. Assignments will include short reflection papers and a research paper.

This course surveys aspects of Christian thinking (not necessarily strictly theology) of the early modern period, concentrating on France, England, and representatives from other Western European countries. Lectures and readings focus on the question of (re)defining Christian identity, within several areas of religious concern: devotional life, epistemology, human history, and social relations. The course aims to provide students with first-hand knowledge of primary material that was either influential upon or typical of fundamental (though often conflictual) ways of construing Christian identity during this period and that have remained, in various guises, still a part of contemporary Christian outlooks. Course requirements include attendance at lectures and tutorials, the extensive assigned reading; 1-page weekly critical overviews, and the choice of a final exam or final paper.

This course focuses on Aquinas' Summa Theologiae and its systematic theology of the Christian life: faith, hope and love are the foundational principles that ground the concrete living out of the imitatio Christi in a life of prayer, service, preaching and leadership in the Church. Importance of philosophical, rhetorical and historical tools for reading the text. Weekly reading, weekly papers, term paper, participation in class discussion.

Inspiring and profound are terms often attributed to the theology of von Balthasar. Benedict XVI said of his work, "His theological reflection maintains intact, to this day, a profound timeliness and leads many to penetrate ever more into the profoundity of the mystery of faith". This course begins an exploration of his work. There is consideration of the Trilogy: Herrlichkeit, Theo-Drama and Theo-Logic; the influence of Ignatius Loyola and Adrienne von Speyr; and the place of Mary. Not a course for the faint-hearted, von Balthasar's work is at times dense and complex but the rewards are beyond price. Prerequisite: one year of theology, at least three theology courses.

In recent decades hosts of “new” voices have joined and vastly expanded theological dialogue: African Americans, women, and “Third World”–Latin American, South African, Filipino, Indian, Sri Lankan, Korean, etc. More recently indigenous, Hispanic American, womanist, gay and lesbian, mujerista/Latina, Asian-American and Asian-Canadian, and ecological voices are expanding the dialogues. And the number of new and newer voices continues to grow. We will: trace the early history of dialogues among these new voices and sample more recent voices; identify points of convergence and divergence; examine hermeneutical and methodological issues concerning experience, standpoints, perspectives; probe the riches of diversity, the dangers of relativism and new grounds for authenticity and authority; explore new theological frontiers in (re)discovering/recentering theology in the Spirit and reconceiving history; survey the challenges and opportunities confronting theology and the church accompanying the eruptions of new voices in a rapidly changing world, and the struggles over the future. Readings, class participation, short papers, and (for AD students) research paper - adult learning process.

Recent teaching of the Roman Catholic magisterium on war and peace, social teaching about justice, ecumenical dialogue, nonchristian religions, and women. This course provides an update on important new directions in Catholic magisterial teaching on these five topics. The course examines the varying authority of different magisterial documents and focuses on methods of interpretation. Auditors welcome. Lectures, discussions, paper, take-home exam.

This course of lectures will examine Luther's writings on the theology of the cross and on human freedom; and Calvin's writings on Scripture and the Christian life. Weekly readings; a final examination (oral or written).

Studies the documents and teachings of Vatican II. Brief overview of the historical background to the Council and to Councils in the life of the church. Seminars guide discussions based on close readings of the 16 documents with emphasis on the historical context and ecclesiological significance of each document. Seminar presentations; participation in analysis of the documents; integration paper.

An exploration of central issues in philosophy, as addressed by Herman Dooyeweerd, Dirk Vollenhoven, and the "Amsterdam School" of neo-Calvinian thought. The course tests the relevance of this tradition for recent developments in Western philosophy. Special attention is given to critiques of foundationalism, metaphysics, and modernity within reformational philosophy and other schools of thought.

Wittgenstein’s philosophy continues to generate enormous interest, and his name is frequently cited in connection with radical developments in theology and the philosophy of religion. Via an exploration of the different accounts of language and meaning he presents in both his early and later work, this course will focus on his thought as it relates to religious belief and commitment in particular.

This course explores the notion that subjectivity is not merely given but produced through an encounter with society, language and other selves. It explores the ethical and political consequences of this possibility. It examines the construction of ethnic, religious, racial, and gendered difference, the forces that have constituted them as ""other"" instead of the "same," and the consequences this has for the construction of the self and its obligations and responsibilities.

This course will explore the uneasy relationship between deconstruction and politics. We will begin the course by familiarizing ourselves with Jacques Derrida's deconstuctive method, and continue by reading his work on issues of justice, law, cosmopolitanism, ethics, and the right to philosophy. The rest of the course will be spent engaging with various contemporaries of Derrida for whom his work in deconstruction and political philosophy has been important: Drucilla Cornell, Giorgio Agamben, Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe, Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari.

In the contemporary world, ecumenism must include dialogue between Christianity and world religions. This course will examine not only Christian attitudes to world religions, but also attitudes of world religions to other belief systems. Lectures, discussion, paper.

This course will begin with a summation of Biblical teaching about wealth and poverty, and the succeeding sessions will study diverse interpretations of that teaching in the history of Christian thought. Attention will be paid to the historical context of the theology under study, including contemporary ethical teaching and economic practice. The goals of the course will be to appreciate the paradoxical character of Biblical teaching on wealth and poverty, as well as the diverse ways in which theologies on wealth and poverty have reflected the impact of socio-economic change. The value of the study will be its assisting students to cope with 21st century challenges in its uneven regional and social distribution of wealth and poverty.

This course will explore the Bible as the ongoing story of and for God and creation, with special attention to how God's story is intertwined with that of humanity and the world. In asking whether and in what way the Bible is also our story, we will attempt to identify which hermeneutical methods might help us discern its significance for present day life, including the academic enterprise.

Although from the very beginning, Christianity appeared especially connected to the particular geography, it will only be with the Fourth century, that the “Holy Places” arose as such, becoming essential part of an emerging culture of pilgrimage. Jerusalem and the Holy Land gradually evolve into the epicenter of the Christian world. Liturgical practices of the Holy City and the Holy Land will develop into standard and normative as pilgrims from throughout the world return to their countries and establish there the usages of the “Holy Places”. This course explores the interaction of pilgrimage, liturgical, and spiritual life in Holy Land and their impact in the development of Early Christianity. Discussions, presentations. One essay.

Examines the Thomistic histories of philosophy of Gilson and MacIntyre, in terms of Aristotle's account of the history of "first philosophy" as it came to be commented by Thomas Aquinas. It examines the philosophical work to be done by studying philosophy's history in terms of what philosophers think is truly first about and within things.

A study of the life and works of major patristic authors who shaped and influenced the Eastern Christian tradition, including Ignatius, Irenaeus, Origen, Athanasius, John Chrysostom, the Cappadocians, Maximus the Confessor, Simeon the New Theologian, Nicholas Cabasilas, Gregory Palamas. Lectures-seminar, reflection papers, major paper.

Is beauty simply "in the eye of the beholder," or is it something more? Is it a way to God, a moral precept, or the specific locus for a unique kind of pleasure? This course examines a variety of subjective and objective views of beauty in the history of Western philosophy and theology from antiquity to the present (e.g. in the thought of Plato, Augustine, Aquinas, Kant, Weil, Barth, and Balthasar). It will also consider the implications of these views of beauty for the production of the visual arts, music, and literary culture in Western religion and society.

Alongside with Greek and Latin, Syriac Christianity was a crucial factor in the development of Christian theology, worship, and spirituality in the first centuries. A unique witness to the original Semitic character of the Church, Syriac Christianity provides deep insights into the symbolic and poetic approach to the mystery of God. This attains its summit in the theology and spirituality of Ephrem the Syrian. In the present course, reading and discussion of his works will be undertaken against the background of the development of Syriac Christianity from the 2nd up to the 8th century. Discussions, presentations. One essay.

Mani, an inhabitant of 3rd century Iraq/Iran believed himself to be the Paraclete promised by Jesus. From that belief grew a church which reached from North Africa to China and lasted over a thousand years, including among its sympathizers the young St. Augustine. This course will use the writings of Manichaeans and their opponents, including Augustine, to address the criteria of Christian identity, and use a theological system not based on the incarnation to explore the meaning of creation, revelation, and redemption in more conventional contexts.

In light of recent renewed interest in the meanings and mechanisms of empathy in such areas as ethics, visual studies, and the philosophy of the mind, this course examines the place and role of compassion in the development of the Western aesthetics tradition. Considering a range of art theoretical texts, literature, and images for which the theme of compassion has been thought able to account for certain of the emotional and cognitive links that exist between artwork and its audience.

Although from the very beginning, Christianity appeared especially connected to the particular geography, it will only be with the Fourth century, that the “Holy Places” arose as such, becoming essential part of an emerging culture of pilgrimage. Jerusalem and the Holy Land gradually evolve into the epicenter of the Christian world. Liturgical practices of the Holy City and the Holy Land will develop into standard and normative as pilgrims from throughout the world return to their countries and establish there the usages of the “Holy Places”. This course explores the interaction of pilgrimage, liturgical, and spiritual life in Holy Land and their impact in the development of Early Christianity. Discussions, presentations. One essay.

Examines the Thomistic histories of philosophy of Gilson and MacIntyre, in terms of Aristotle's account of the history of "first philosophy" as it came to be commented by Thomas Aquinas. It examines the philosophical work to be done by studying philosophy's history in terms of what philosophers think is truly first about and within things.

A study of the life and works of major patristic authors who shaped and influenced the Eastern Christian tradition, including Ignatius, Irenaeus, Origen, Athanasius, John Chrysostom, the Cappadocians, Maximus the Confessor, Simeon the New Theologian, Nicholas Cabasilas, Gregory Palamas. Lectures-seminar, reflection papers, major paper.

Is beauty simply "in the eye of the beholder," or is it something more? Is it a way to God, a moral precept, or the specific locus for a unique kind of pleasure? This course examines a variety of subjective and objective views of beauty in the history of Western philosophy and theology from antiquity to the present (e.g. in the thought of Plato, Augustine, Aquinas, Kant, Weil, Barth, and Balthasar). It will also consider the implications of these views of beauty for the production of the visual arts, music, and literary culture in Western religion and society.

Beginning with a quick review of English grammar, the course will introduce the grammar and syntax of the Latin language and provide practice in their use in order to lead students to a reading knowledge of Ecclesiastical Latin: the Vulgate, Canon Law, Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome, Aquinas, hymns and other documents. Evaluation will be based on course assignments, weekly class participation, periodic tests and a final exam. Please note: the second hour of each class is a mandatory tutorial.

Introductory study of the Anglican communion as a worldwide form of Christianity; its history, key theological issues, worship, schools of thought, approaches to spirituality. 3 short papers. Interdisciplinary History and Theology.

Introductory study of the Anglican communion as a worldwide form of Christianity; its history, key theological issues, worship, schools of thought, approaches to spirituality. 3 short papers. Interdisciplinary History and Theology.

A critical exploration of the mystical, liturgical and pastoral theology of Evelyn Underhill, as she develops these in her novels and scholarly writings. Her thought will be examined in light of contemporary issues in spirituality, such as the status of the body, mysticism and social action, the subjectivization of mystical experiences, and the effect of socio-political structures on spirituality. Lectures, discussion, presentation, critical reflection paper.